Safety-nut interlock with feed-control lever



0. c; KLAUSMEYER, SAFETY NUT INTEBLOCK WITH FEED CONTROL LEVER.

' Patented Apr. 25; 1922.

3 SHEETS SHEET 3.

l r F W4 W is D "if." I ll 0. c. KLAUSMEYERE SAFETY NUT INTERLOCK WITH FEED CONTROL LEVER. APPLICATION FILED NOV. Il, 1920.

1,414,327. Patented Apr. 25, 1922; 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2;

:3 U S M 2 I I R I I Q V C I E A I & 4 gvwmtoi E 0 4 W 851;; Gil dome? v D. C. KLAUSMEYER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. IT, 1920- 2 .z i .5 4 .1 4 l Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. l

Qua/ A C Klan/"dam,-

J ama- MM UNiT sra- ATE" oFF cE.

DAVID C.- KLAUSMEYER', or CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CINCINNATI V 'BIGKFORD TOOL COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO,-A CORPORATION on oIIro;

"- SAFETY-NUT QINTERLOCK WITH. FEED-CONTROL LEvEn.

Application.filedNovemher 17', 1920) Serial 110,424,800.

To aZZ w h om it ma'y concern Be it known that 1, DAVID C. KLAUSMEYER,

I This invention deals with safety devices and it proposes a construction such that the user will be compelled to. rectify any 1111- toward conditions in the apparatus embodying it before being able to continue the normal use ot suchapparatus.

- In'various species otmachinery, screws.

threadsare resorted to for the purpose of effectinga translation-0t certainparts and it is of great importance toprevent the at-- tenclant from continuing the use. of the mechanism either after such threads have become stripped"0r destroyed or become weakenedby wear until unsafe.

This invention proposes a safety inter lock capable of being utilized either in the form shown or in modified form so as to achieve either one or more of the following functions: (1) automatically to expose normally-concealedipart or member as a warning that the,threads have become un-' duly worn, orthat they have been. destroyed; (2). to interpose apart into the path of a. feed or travel. controlreleinent to prevent suclrelement from being moved from its inopeizative intoits operative position;,(.3)- so to co-act with a control-ele=mnt as tojrestore it"from operative to inoperativeposition and to retain it in the latter position"; (4:)

to achieve one or more of the above objects while simultaneously providing for a temporarysubstitute torfthe threads and (5) to achieve one'or more of said Ob ec'ts while simultaneously holding the part normally actuated by the threads against any further movement whatsoever until a restoration of the damage to the threads has been effected.

It is of importance for an attendant to be advised as to the condition of thethreads of a nutthatis utilized for sustaining heavy Weights or "for moving parts against a resilient opposition. Machines, as ordinarily constructed, do not give an attendant a sufficient hopportunity for observing the condition of such threads and accordingly the attendant is quite likely to continue the use of the apparatus until-the threads have becom'e'so weakened as to give way and" entail damage. This invention, however, afi'ords a remedy.

Specification of Letters Patent. patef ted A1313 25 1922 for said-condition inasmuch as it provides .a part which is normally withheld but Which- Will bereleasedso as tospring into view and serveasa warning that the threads have be vcome s o fa'r'worn as to. make their replace,

ment advisable. Inasmuchfas the attendant may fail to observe the warning thus given,

- andmay continue to use the machine until the threads have actually stripped, this, in-.

vention proposes a safety mechanism adapted to :go into operation and iprevent any untoward novement oftlie parts asa result of thejstnppmg of the threads this feature" be iiig combined with the Warning; device. f

Furthermore,exigencymay demand a tem- I porary usageiof the machine even after. the regular threads. have stripped and-this invention accordingly proposes an arrangement which provides a temporarily acting nut 'in combination with the warningjde v ce; the parts'loe ng so correlated that the warning device will continue to advise the attendant'that the regular threads are outof use and the temporarythrea-ds are being em ployed. v tendant upon noticethat as soon as possible .1

he must effect a: replacement of the stripped."

threads, and yet it permits him to use the maso I This arrangement puts the at-' chine temporarily. Since, however, the attend-ant may neglect the warning and may fail to. make a thread replacement, this invention )ro oses as. an --additioiial iin rovement an" interlock between the warning element .and thepower-teed device; said interlock being-of such a nature that it will-permit the-power feed to continue to function until the attend provide tor ia temporary continuance in the usage of the machine attera thread-failure,

to move the threaded element and yet such ant has manually disconnectedit, but will not j permit the attendant thereafter to throw on the power. Whenever it v is unnecessary .to

element will be retained in the position it oc The cessation in feed will, of course, warn the operator thatan immediaterepair is essentlal but inasmuclras hemay forget to turn 1 it on, this invention provides an arrange- .cupied at the timev of the threadfailure.

,ment in combination with means for arresting all further feed, for throwing off the power if it be on, or preventing if from being turned on if it be off, said arrangement becoming effective simultaneously with. any

thread yield. So also, the means for pre venting the power from being turned on and for automatically turning it off, admits of being arranged in accordance with this disclosure so as to become effective upon a predetermined wear of thread and in advance of the actual destruction of the thread.

. Other objects and advantages will be in typical construction have been annexed asa part of this disclosure, and in such drawings like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views, of which v Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a portion of a machine showing one embodiment of this invention; the parts being in their normal. working relation. Fig. 2 is a detail in side elevation showing the separable clutch between asafety element and the regular nut. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through line 33 of Fig. 1 showing the warning element in'its retracted or normal position. Figs. l, 5 and 6 depict a mod. ification corresponding in general with the aforesaid views, respectively, the parts, however, being shown in the position resulting from any undue wear orfailure of the threads and showing a rotatable auxiliary nut U. Fig.1? is a vertical section of a 'modification of this invention showing means for automatically turning off the power and for positively preventing it from being turned on. Fig. 8 is a detail in side elevation of the engagement normally existin'g between the nut and the safety element. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section through line SJ-+9 of 'Fig. 7 showing theparts in their retracted position. Fig. 10 is a detail showing the position occupied by the warning element for positively retaining thepower control in its inoperative position.

Continuing now by way of a more detailed description of the embodiments se lected for purposes of exp anation, it may be stated that this invention is applicable to any apparatus or mechanism wherein a screw cooperates with a nut or its equivalent, i. e., a gear,for the purpose of effecting an approach or separation between two parts or castings such, for example, as the frame-elements A and B. This separation or approach is accomplished against the existence of some counter tendency such as gravity or heavy spring pressure and it ordinarily is accomplished by effecting a relative rotation between a nut such as C and a screw such as D; the one being suitably mounted against translation relative to the element'A, and the other suitably mounted against translation'relative to the element- B. Thus, the lowerend of the nut C is provided with a shoulder 10 interfitting with a counterpart shoulder on the element A and this nut C is secured against rotation by means of a screw 11 in the manner usual in radial drills. The screw D, being used as a lifting-screw, is rotatable and is accordingly journaled at its ends in a stationary part of the machine in any conventional manner, as for example in themanvner shown by my United States Patent No. r

1,37a,581of April 12, 1921.

In the'form illustrated in the drawings, the I screw'is shown journaled in the member B ,or the other of gears G and H which rotate in opposite directions by reason of their connection to the prime-mover J The connection between the gears G and H with the shaft E may be eifectedth'rougha suitable clutch, such as the member K, splined to the shaft E and shifted to the right or left bymeans of anarm L projecting from amember M, here shown in the nature ofan elongated vertical bar, adapted to be manually oscillated. For the purpose of facilitating the oscillation of this rod, a hand lever (not shown) may be employed, as will be understood. r

Referring to Fig. 1, will be seen that,

in addition to the regular nut. C, an auxiliary nut N is threaded'to the screw D and that it occupies a position between a shoulder P provided'by the frame-element A and the upper end of the regular nut C; there being a clearance space 0 for the purpose of permitting a predetermined separation between the auxiliary nut- N' and the regular nut C in the event of'undue thread-wear or of thread-failure. It will be perceived that this will happen because the auxiliary nut N normally carries no load; the load being assumed by the regular'nut C. Therefore,

even though the threads of the regular nut should wear, those of the auxiliary nut'N will not be subject to wear since the latter is virtually an idle element. It is essential, however, that these parts shall sepaagainst rotation by' some suitable means such, for example, as the clutch-like engages ment Q- shown best by Fig, 2. This per-.

mits separation without permittingrotation.

A detector for warning the user that an undue separation has taken place in preferably carried by the frame-element A. In the form, here shown, this detector assumes the form of a plunger R which is normally restrained against moving under the infiumm of a spring S by means of an engage ment which depends upon the distance between the auxiliary and main nuts N and'C. Thus, the plun er R may terminate in an engagement widi the auxiliary nut-N; said engagement consisting of a shoulder 1 of limited height and normally abutting-a side oft-he slot 2 in the auxiliary nut. Itthe slide of the shoulder 1 be, say, one-third of the thickness of a thread, the plunger'R will be released assoon as one-third of the-thread has been worn away. So also, ifthe thread should strip entirely, the auxiliary nut will immediately .be brought to bear against the shoulder P and also the plunger R will be released. If desired, the abnormal position assumed by the plunger R may be depended upon as a warning against a materially extended use of the machine prior tothe replacement of the regular nut, or it may be further utilized for the purposeof preventing the movement of the control rod M into its operative position, To this end, the ex tremity of the plunger R may be shaped, as indicated by T so as to interlock with the rod M or a part carried thereby, as illustrated, for example, by Fig. 6 in case the operating rodM happens to be in its operative position, assho-wn by the dotted lines in Fig. 6, there will be no interlocking between the extremityof the plunger R and such rod. Consequently, the operator :can'

turn th'erod into its operative position and -forthwith the plungerwill,under the action ofthe spring S, be thrust into the interfitting relation shown by FigflG," The user could only turn on the power when the parts are thus positioned after the plunger has retreated somewhat, and,to prevent the possibility of any such retreat, the plunger is provided with a shoulder 3 which will be engaged by a detent 4: (pressed by a spring ,5) and thereby obstruct any rearward movementof the plunger. To guard against the temptation of manually releasing the detent,

it is preferably arranged" inaccessible, as

shown by the drawings, so that the attendant can restore the parts to their normal position only by going to the trouble of .Fig; It in which U indicates the safety eollar and V indicates a thrust-bearing of the frie, I

taking the machine apart to an extent sufi ficient to j effect a replacement of the main nut. I

"It is to bejnoted that, the embodiment shown by Figs. '1 to 3, the temporary nut N will assume the roleof the regular nut in the 'eventof failure and therefore it must i befprevented' from turning and hencethetongue and slot connection Q, is made suffioiently long so as to continue the engageient after the space 0 has been eliminated by V the movementof the shoulder'P against the temporary nut N. As thus constructed,the

frame-element will continue to move under the-action of the screw D until the power is turned off by hand. If circum- 'weightof the frame-element A1 This modi fication isshown in its eiiectii' e'position by tionless type interposed between theg'shoulder P and the collar 'U so that the-collar -will' f be-free to rotate by reason ofthe friction of its engagement with the threads of the screw D. This modification requires an alteration in theproportionment of the tongue and groove connection between the nuts U and C and between the nut U and the I plunger R inasmuch as itmust permit of an vention whereby the power control is thrown off automatically if it be on,and is: locked against manipulation-if it be off. -This f arrangement is of a: special utility where the auxiliary nut is resorted to since it brings the rotatingscrew to a standstill and pre 7 vents any wearing away of the threads oithe auxil ary nut by the chips or dbris given off by the main nut when the threadsbecome 1 stripped or torn. In general, the mechanism of th s embodlment may follow the construe-- trons herembefore described but. in order to impart to the plunger It the capacity [of ff 7' throwmgotf the power, its extrem ty may I be provided with a shoed V having twocontact surfaces 6 and? whichf 'm'ay coactf:

with the fingers 81 and 9 radiating tromja dog A adapted to sl de along but notfrotate relative to the rod M and:maintained', by 1f25 suitable means, suchas'lugs 1-2 and 13 projectin'g fromthe element A in the same'plane j v as the shoe V throughout the rise and-fall of the frame-elementA. 'iVhen the plunger R- is released, it will be'advanced by the'f13 0. I i

100 I entire separa tionot the nut U from the nut,

are in contact with both of the lingers as shown by Fig. 10, and thereby the power will be disengaged.

Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this inven' tion that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various utilizations without omitting certain features that,'from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should be and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

Having thus revealed this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure the following combinations of steps and elements, or equivalents thereof, by'Letters Patent of the United States: 7

1.1A device of the nature disclosed combin-ingai screw; a load-free member meshmg with said screw; a load-carrying member also meshing with said screw and adapted by thread-wear or failure to become varied'in distance from said load-free membermeans for effecting a relative rotation between said screw and said members simultaneously; and means made, operative through a variation in said distance for rendering inoperative said rotation-eifecting means.

2. A device of the nature. disclosed combining a'screw; a load-free member meshing with said screw; a loadmarryingmember also meshing with said screwand adapted by thread-wear or failure to become va ried in distance from said load-free member; means for effecting a relative rotation between saidscrew and said members simultaneously; and an instrumentality obstructing the utilization of said means, said in strumentality being adapted to become effective through a variation in the distance between said members.

3. 'A device of, the nature disclosed combining a screw; a load-free member meshing with said screw a load-carryin member also meshing with said screw and adapted by thread-wear or failure to become varied in distance from said load-free member; means "for effectin a. relative rotation between said screw and said members simultaneously; and a n echanism put into operation through a variation in said distance for automatically'holding said rotation-effecting means out of operation.

l. A safety device combining a spring pressed member; means normally retaining said member in retracted position and adapted under abnormal conditions to release it;

from being restored to its initial position. I 5. A device of the nature disclosed combining a screw;a member normallycon nected through a thread-engagement therewith; means for power-dr vlng one of said.

parts; a manual control for said means; and annstrumentality, rendered effective by movement resulting from undue'wear or damage to said thread-engagement, for gov-' erning said manual-control. I

G. A. bining a screw-operated member; a manu; ally operable part for controlling said mem her; an interponent positionable to obstruct the movement in a given direction of said part; anda detent adapted. automatically to retain said interponent in its obstructing position.

7. A device of the nature disclosed combining a screw; two members simultaneously engaging said. screw; and a part retained in its normal position by coaction with one of said members; said part being arranged to occupy an abnormal position upon a predetermined variation. in the relationloetween said members due tothread-wear or threadyield. 1

8. A device-of bining a rotatable element; two members simultaneously in thread-engagement therewith and simultaneously movable thereby at the same rate, one of said members carrying a load and the other being normally free of load; and apart retained in its normal position by coactionwith'o'ne of saidf'memhers, said part being adapted to occupy an abnornial position in consequence of any undue relative movement between said members caused by excess wearor yield. of said thread-engagement.

9. A device of the nature disclosed combining a screw; two members in thread-engagement therewith; a spring-pressed ole-- ment normally latched to one of said members; and a part bodily movable with the othermember and carrying said element, whereby a displacement of theone member relatively to the other will effect a release of said element. V 10. A device of the nature'disclosed combining a screw; two. members in thread engagement therewith; an element coacting with one of said members; a part movable bodily with the other and carrying sa d element, whereby a relative movement between 11. A device of the nature disclosed combining a screw; a prime-mover therefor;

device of the nature disclosed comthe nature disclosed comsaid members may effect a displacement of part.

means for establishing a connection between said screw and said prime-mover; a manually-controlled part for actuating said means; two members engagmg said screw and simultaneously moved thereby, the one carrying a load and the other being load-- free; and means effective upon a relative I movement between said members for obstructing the manual manipulation of said 12. A device of the nature disclosed combining a screw-operated member; a manually-operable part for controlling said memher; an interponent positionable to obstruct the movement in a given direction of said part: means cooperating with said interponent for preventing translation of said bers due to thread-wear or thread-yield, one

of said threaded members being adapted to obstruct translation of the other threaded member when said part occupies an abnormal position.

14;. A device of the nature disclosed combining a rotatable element; a member nontranslatably associated with said element; two members simultaneously in thread-engagement withsaid element and simultanef ously movable thereby at thesame rate,-one of said members carrying a load and the other being normally free of load; a part retained in its normal position by coaction with one of said members, said part being adapted to occupy an abnormal position in consequence of any undue relative movement between said members caused by excess wear or yield of said thread-engagement, said load-free member being adapted to obstruct relative translation between said element and said load-carrying member whenever said part occupies an abnormal position. V v '15. A device of the nature disclosed combining a screw; a member nontranslatable relative to said screw; two members in thread-engagement with said member; a spring pressed element normally latched to one of said members; and apart bodily movable with the other member and carrying said'element, whereby a displacement of the one member relatively to the other will effeet a release of said element, the member latched'to said element being adapted when unlatched therefrom to obstruct translation of said other threaded member.

16. A device of the nature disclosed combining a screw; a, member nontranslatable relative to said screw; two members vin thread-engagement with said screw; an element coactlng wlth one of said threaded members; said latter member being adapted to obstruct movement of the screw when said element ceases to coact therewith; apart movable bodily. with the other threaded member. and carrying said element, whereby a relative movement between said members may effect a displacement of said element; and a latch for obstructing a return of said element to its normal position. v

17. A device of the nature disclosed combining a screw; a prime-mover therefor; means for establishing a connectionbetween said screw and said prime-mover; a manually-controlled part; for actuating said means; two membersengagmg said screw andsimultaneously moved thereby, the one carrylng a'load and'the other being load-' free; the load-free member being adapted to assumea loadu-ponmoving relative to said other member; and means effective upon a relativelmovementbetween said members for obstructing the manual manipulationof said part.

l8. bining a stationary member and a member adapted to be raised relatively thereto; a nut mounted in one of said members and normally restrainedagainst rotation relatively thereto; a screw rotatably carried by the A safety elevating-mechanism comother member and threaded through said nut; and means comprising a spring-pressedpart normally'clutched to said nut; said means being automatically operative under abnormal conditions'to release its clutched relation with said nut and enable said nut to rotate as a unit with said screw when said spring-pressed part is de clutched; whereby the raised member may be supported but not further elevated by said nut notwithstanding a continued rotation of said screw.

19. A safety elevating-mechanism. combin ing an elevatable member and a stationary member; a screw rotatably associated with one of said members; a nut seated in the other member; a spring-pressed partnormallyclutched to said nut, means normally 3 operative on said nut toiprohibit'its rotation,

said means being automaticallyadapted under abnormal conditions, to permit said nut Q to rotate as a unit with said screw; and a,

ball-bearing adapted to receive the thrust between said nut' and the member in which it is mounted so as to promote the rotation of said nutwh'en permitted bysaid means.

' 20. A safety elevating-mechanism combine ing a stationary member and a elevatable memberya nut seated in a socket in one of said members; an anti-friction thrust-bearing interposed between said nut and a shoulder of said socket; a spring-pressed stem translatably mounted in said socketed member; means normally engaging said nut to prevent rotation thereof, said nut and means being adapted automatically to become disengaged under abnormal conditions to permit said nut to rotate freely; and a lifting screw rotatably connected to the other member and threaded through said nut.

21. An elevating-mechanism combining a member providing a seat, an anti-friction thrust-bearing adjacent said seat; springpressed means non-rotatably secured to'said member and spaced from said thrust-bearing; a nut intervening between said thrustbearing and said element and normally clutched to said spring-pressed means; a second member; and a screw rotatably bearing on said second member and extending successively through the bores of said nut and said thrust-bearing and adapted to cooperate with said parts to eifect a separation of said members, the construction being such that under abnormal conditions'said means and said nut will automatically become de-- clutched and said nut will be permitted to rotate as a unit with said screw and thereby render the latter impotent to eflect a further separation of said members.

22. A safety elevating-mechanism combining a member having a socket; an anti-friction thrust-bearing shouldered against one end of said socket, a spring-pressed first part non-rotatably and shift-ably carried by said member; a tubular second part located in.

said socket and having its one end adjacent said thrust-bearing and having its otherend engaging saidfirst part, one of said parts being adapted under abnormal conditions automatically to shift axially suificiently to dis-engage the other part and permit the second part to rotate; and a rotatably mount- In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe] my name, as attested by the two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID C. KLAUSMEYER. Witnesses: r v i C. C. SLETE, v ANNA M. H ssIAN.

way- 

